Chapter 953
Why the Amnesty?
Miaozhen and her two companions were having a great time training in Fujian, and they didn't even care about Wang Cong anymore. When they received their junior uncle's letter, they simply tossed it aside and pretended to know about it.
By the time Pan Yun finished his work at the Ministry of Works, the disaster relief supplies had already been distributed. Not only were preparations for the wind and flood disasters made in advance, but the disaster relief efforts were also timely and without incident. The court's reputation had improved, and some commoners were even privately remarking, "The new emperor is better than the previous one..."
But some whispered, "The new emperor is spending money and grain to win the hearts of the people. If the national treasury is empty, there will be a great disaster for the country."
As Pan Yun walked toward Ruijin County, she listened to the discussions in the marketplace.
The Ming Dynasty ultimately perished due to a financial crisis, so that person was only half right: if the national treasury is empty, the world will face great calamity.
However, neither she nor the officials would allow the Ming Dynasty to come to this point.
Although there were corrupt officials in the court, there were also people who were fair and just and dedicated to the country. At this time, officials, gentry and people all over the country still held Zhu in high esteem.
Zhu Yuanzhang is the only person in the past four hundred years to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and unify the North and South.
The power and prestige of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong still linger, and the current emperor has the will to reform, people are willing to listen to advice, and with the absence of treacherous eunuchs like Wang Zhen interfering, the ambition of officials to leave their mark on history is burning brightly once again.
What Pan Yun was meant to do, besides guiding the emperor, was to act as the balancer between the officials.
After all, without the corrupt eunuchs to restrain the officials, wouldn't this sorcerer have a better chance of succeeding?
Pan Yun recalled that before she left the capital, the Imperial Academy had secretly added new subjects and selected suitable people from among the students and officials to learn the telegraph method she had given them. She believed that within six months at most, the telegraph could be used throughout the country. At that time, information would spread more rapidly, and economic development would only be more rapid.
As soon as Pan Yun arrived at the Ruijin County Government Office, he saw Pu Min squatting at the entrance, holding a bowl.
Pan Yun raised an eyebrow and stepped forward.
Pu Min, who was in a daze, looked up from her feet and saw that it was her. He immediately stood up, holding the broken bowl, and said, "Grand Preceptor, you've arrived."
Pan Yun: "Didn't the government give you money for your trip home?"
Pu Min smiled bitterly: "It is already our good fortune that the court has granted us a pardon. Looking around the world, no prisoner who has been pardoned has been able to return home with money from the government."
Therefore, apart from prisoners serving their sentences locally, prisoners exiled to other places, after being pardoned, either stayed in the local area or begged their way back to their hometown, and their lives were not easy either.
Pan Yun really didn't know such details.
Pan Yun tossed Pu Min a piece of silver and told him to go rent a horse: "If I hadn't come, were you planning to just stay here?"
Pu Min pulled out a handful of copper coins from his pocket and said, "If the Grand Preceptor doesn't come today, I will use these coins to travel east tomorrow. I will weave straw sandals and grasshoppers, and then buy two catties of flour at the grain store, which will be enough for me to travel for several days."
Pan Jun was finally satisfied.
The two rode back to Quanzhou at full speed.
Miaozhen and her two companions were very famous for their disaster relief efforts in Quanzhou and surrounding prefectures and counties, and for their free medical clinics.
Before entering the city, the two saw several tables set up on the grass beside the official road. Miaozhen and her companions sat behind the tables. A hundred or so simply dressed people wearing straw sandals lined up in an orderly fashion by the roadside. Children ran around, selling straw sandals, homespun cloth, steamed buns, and other items to passersby.
They only waved from the roadside and did not cross the official road casually, so although Pan Yun slowed down his horse, he did not stop and went directly past them towards the city gate.
Miaozhen seemed to sense something, and looked up. The two, master and niece, exchanged a glance from afar, then one continued on her way, while the other lowered her head to continue writing the prescription.
Pu Min also saw Miao Zhen and the other two. He hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Pan Yun didn't stop, he could only follow her.
The two returned to Quanzhou City. Pu Min reined in his horse and thanked Pan Yun for his help along the way. He said, "Please escort me here, Grand Preceptor?"
Pan Jun lifted his eyelids to look at him and said, "Pu Min, I went to great lengths to bring you out of the mine, not to watch you fight with Pu Si. My ultimate goal is for you to create value for me and for His Majesty." Pu Min immediately promised, "Rest assured, Grand Preceptor, I will never forget this kindness. As soon as I return to the Pu family, I will find a way to participate in the Pu family's affairs..."
Pan Yun shook her head: "Too slow, I can't wait for you to slowly seize power."
Pu Min stiffened and asked, "So what do you mean?"
Pan Yun: "I'll take you to the Pu family's house."
Pu Min's eyes widened, and she quickly said, "But wouldn't that expose our relationship?"
Pan Yun: "Is that so hard to guess? You've been pardoned and returned. Pu Si isn't stupid. How could he not suspect who's behind you? Now that you're working for His Majesty, how could you possibly hide it from him?"
“You belong to whoever benefits from you,” Pan Yun said. “So there’s no need to hide anything. Let’s go.”
Pan Yun led Pu Min directly through the main gate of the Pu family's residence.
When Pu Si heard that the Imperial Preceptor was coming to visit, she came out to greet him with a smile. But when she saw Pu Min standing beside her, her eyebrows twitched and her smile, though still on, became a little stiff.
Pan Jun seemed not to see it, and smiled as she cupped her hands in greeting to Pu Si. Before Pu Si could ask, she said, "This humble Taoist has come to see Young Master Pu because I have a business deal to discuss with you."
Pu Si snapped out of his daze and quickly bowed, saying, "Grand Preceptor, please just say what you need. What kind of business is it?"
"Public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters. Otherwise, if His Majesty knew, he would think that I was embezzling royal property."
Pu Si's smile froze completely.
Pan Yun wanted to buy a ship from him: "I heard that Young Master Pu bought several pirate ships from the navy. I wonder if you still have them?"
Pu Si glanced at Pu Min and saw him with his head bowed and his clothes patched up, looking like he was lost in thought.
He looked up and smiled, "If the Imperial Advisor likes it, how about I give you one as a gift?"
Pan Jun didn't want him to give her anything; she wanted to buy it, and it wasn't cheap.
Pan Yun immediately doubled her purchases.
Pu Si's lips trembled, but she forced a smile and agreed.
He didn't get a good deal. At the time, thanks to the influence of the royal family and his own business acumen, he acquired these ships at a very low price. Even if the price doubled, the value of the ships would still far exceed their initial price.
Pan Yun doubled the price but still made a profit, and she didn't owe anyone a favor.
He won't sell it to anyone else.
But last year, he used the power of the royal family to acquire these dilapidated ships. Now, Pan Yun is also using the emperor's power to buy ships from him. How can this not be a cycle?
Pu Si curled the corners of his mouth and asked Pan Jun how many ships she wanted to buy.
Pan Yun said, "I only need two."
Pu Si glanced at Pu Min again and agreed.
He wanted to know why Pu Min was with Pan Yun and what he had said to her.
Pan Yun got what she wanted and generously gave the two brothers time. As she turned to leave, she said, "Young Master Pu, Pu Min was pardoned by His Majesty. This is His Majesty's favor to the Pu family."
Pu Si immediately expressed his gratitude, but as soon as Pan Yun left, the smile on his face vanished, and he looked at Pu Min expressionlessly: "Pu Min, I have treated you well, and I have treated your family well too. Why did His Majesty grant you a pardon?" (End of this chapter)